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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23290573">WDtUK - Time Stamp</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuropsyche/pseuds/Neuropsyche'>Neuropsyche</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Soul Bond</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:08:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23290573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuropsyche/pseuds/Neuropsyche</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A revisit to see what happened to my favorite couple after What Does the Universe Know ended</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>WDtUK - Time Stamp</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20581973">What Does the Universe Know?</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuropsyche/pseuds/Neuropsyche">Neuropsyche</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>so instead of starting a new story, someone suggested that I go back and add a finale or a time stamp to some of the ones that I've already written - mainly to give them (and me) an idea of what happened next. Usually this will involve a time jump, of some sort. I really liked the idea, so I'm going to do that for a few stories. I haven't decided exactly which ones, so of course I'm open to suggestions if there's something you want me to revisit.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony Stark walked into the penthouse apartment, tossing his keys into the bowl on the stand by the door and taking a deep breath as the aroma of something amazing hit him the moment the door had opened. Something that promised sauce, and cheese and a lot of flavored meat.</p>
<p>“Peter? Honey, I’m home.”</p>
<p>It never got old, saying that.</p>
<p><em>“Peter isn’t here,”</em> FRIDAY told him.</p>
<p>“What? Where is he?”</p>
<p>Tony automatically checked that place inside him That wonderful place that was the bond that he shared with Peter. The part of him that was able to let him know how the younger man was feeling, or if he needed anything that he wasn't asking for, verbally.</p>
<p>As far as he could tell, everything was fine. There was certainly no distress nagging at him, just then.</p>
<p><em>“He went out,”</em> came the reply. <em>“In his suit.”</em></p>
<p>Stark frowned.</p>
<p>“He’s doing a patrol? <em>Tonight</em>?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“He told me to tell you he wouldn’t be gone, long – he planned to be back before you returned.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Well, fuck…” Tony scowled, and flopped down on the couch, annoyed, and not bothering to hide it. “Did he forget what today is?”</p>
<p>A movement outside the sliding glass door that led to the balcony caught Tony’s eye, and he turned his head just in time to see Peter land gracefully on the balcony, walk across the open space and then open the door, pulling his mask off as he did.</p>
<p>Tony didn’t get up, but he watched as Peter walked over to the sofa.</p>
<p>“Don’t be grumpy, Tony,” the boy said, smiling tenderly as he ran his hand along Tony’s shoulder. “I’m here.”</p>
<p>“I’m not grumpy.”</p>
<p>He <em>was</em>, though, and Peter’s expression softened, telling Tony that the boy knew it.</p>
<p>Peter bond with Tony worked both ways. Tony could feel him, and he could feel Tony. They couldn’t lie to each other, really. It took some definite getting used to, but they were making it work. Now those little lies were saved for special occasions.</p>
<p>Like today.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, daddy,” Peter said, pulling off his suit. A suit that was classic blue and red, with black trim, that fit and looked much better than the initial Spider-man suit that the younger man had been wearing the night that Steve had carried him into Tony’s life only seven months before. “I thought I’d be home, sooner.”</p>
<p>“Where did you go?” Tony asked, reaching for Peter before he could do more than drape the suit over the back of the sofa.</p>
<p>Peter didn’t wear much under it, and Tony definitely preferred him undressed, sometimes.</p>
<p>
  <em>Most of the time.</em>
</p>
<p>“I had to check something out,” Peter told him, leaning down to kiss Tony’s temple and then sliding into his lap, straddling his hips. Considering all he was wearing, now, were boxers, Tony approved. “Natasha pointed out an abandoned building that she suspects might be ideal for the new rec center I want to build, and I thought I’d take a look.”</p>
<p>Tony moved to kiss Peter’s chest, and then work his way up along his shoulder, to his neck, jaw and then the corner of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Well?”</p>
<p>“It might work, perfectly.”</p>
<p>“Why did you have to go out in costume?” Tony asked, curiously. “We could have gone and looked together.”</p>
<p>“Because I wanted to be home before you got home,” Peter told him, leaning backward and trusting Tony to keep him from falling out of his lap. It was also an invitation to press those lips against his chest and belly, if he was inclined. “I can go faster if I’m swinging.”</p>
<p>Stark’s arms went around him, predictably, and Tony admired the young man’s body, which was opened up to him, perfectly. With his legs open, so his knees were on either side of the larger man’s hips, Peter’s rear was nestled nicely against Tony’s lap – exactly where it belonged – and he had his choice of where to kiss, or caress, since he could easily support him with one hand and touch him with the other.</p>
<p>“I suppose.”</p>
<p>Peter smiled, and Tony felt a surge of good-natured cheerfulness seep into him via their bond.</p>
<p>“Happy birthday.”</p>
<p>He smiled, too.</p>
<p>“Thank you. Is that lasagna I smell?”</p>
<p>“Mm-hmm. Are you hungry?”</p>
<p>“Can I have you as an appetizer?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Then I’m starving.”</p>
<p>That made the boy chuckle, because he knew that Tony wasn't as desperate as he was making it sound like he was. There was nothing missing from their love life, and with their bond, they both could make sure it stayed that way.</p>
<p>Tony had moved Peter into his apartment within a week. It hadn’t taken a lot of convincing; Peter was a romantic, and Tony was his soul bonded. He <em>wanted</em> to be with him. Thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he was the focus of Tony’s life, now – in bed and out. When Tony had mentioned Peter should quit his job and just let the billionaire take care of him, however, Peter had balked. Tony liked the idea of being Peter’s sugar daddy – he already had the boy calling him daddy in the bedroom, which he liked, and Peter was willing, since he could feel how Tony enjoyed it – but Peter didn’t think a soul bond necessarily meant that he was supposed to become Tony’s kept baby.</p>
<p>He wanted to be an asset to society and not just a trophy.</p>
<p>Tony had made an ultimatum. Sugar baby or nothing. Peter had been blindsided, not used to Tony’s need to get his own way and the fact that he’d do whatever he needed to make that happen. He’d left, even though he didn’t have any place to go, once he’d given up his lease. Luckily, he’d run into Natasha Romanoff – literally – on his way through the lobby of the upscale apartment building, and she’d taken him home with her, immediately, soothing his tears and reassuring him that it was going to be fine.</p>
<p>She’d make sure of it.</p>
<p>When Tony had come looking for Peter, flattened by the guilt he was feeling from his actions, and the hurt he could feel through his bond with Peter, he’d run into a wall. A Russian wall of furious assassin with beautiful eyes and a killer gaze that threatened to take him out with a single look. Tony had demanded to see Peter so he could apologize, and Natasha had raised an eyebrow, which had brought Stark up short, immediately.</p>
<p>He’d apologized to her. Then he’d apologized to Peter, who had been watching him with woeful brown eyes that were still red-rimmed from his most recent crying jag.</p>
<p>“You can be whoever you want,” Tony had promised Peter. “Anything you want. You’ve got the brains for it, you’ll go to school and become a scientist, or a teacher, or-“</p>
<p>“He’s already a <em>superhero</em>,” Romanoff had reminded Stark, listening with her arms crossed over her breasts.</p>
<p>“True. Yes.” Tony had nodded his agreement. “You already have a job that takes so much of your time,” Stark had pointed out. “Quit working, and we’ll focus on how to make you a more efficient Spider-man.”</p>
<p>Romanoff scowled.</p>
<p>“Or he can keep working if he wants to, and you can focus on how to make him a more efficient Spider-man.”</p>
<p>“Or you can do whatever you want, and I’ll still help you be Spider-man,” Tony had agreed. His expression changed, now, and the look he gave Peter was one that Natasha had never seen on him. “Please come home, Peter. I’m sorry I upset you. We’ll figure it out. I promise.”</p>
<p>Peter had agreed, immediately, but Romanoff didn’t look convinced. She put a hand on the young man’s bony shoulder, keeping him at her side.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to see him crying, again, Stark,” she warned. “You’re his bonded; you need to take care of him better than that.”</p>
<p>“I know.” It was still new for him, though. He turned his attention to Peter. “Please, honey?”</p>
<p>So Peter had gone home with Tony. To their home. And Tony had helped him make a new Spider-man suit, and helped him design the web-spinners that were far more efficient. While they worked on that, they learned more about each other, and spent time with the other. Grew closer and learned better how to make the other smile more often than not, and felt the echo of that happiness through their bond.</p>
<p>Tony convinced Peter that he could do more good for the city by helping on his many charity boards and being Spider-man part time than he could being a server. He’d allowed Peter to choose which board he wanted to work with, and not surprisingly, the youngster had chosen a couple that worked with kids. Foster kids, orphans and high risk kids. All of them were suddenly on Peter’s radar, and with Tony’s billions to back him, Peter was beginning to back programs and start up other programs that eased the pressures on these kids and their families.</p>
<p>It didn’t hurt that occasionally there might be a visiting Avenger (usually Ironman or Captain America and Black Widow) who would step up as a spokesperson, backing those programs.</p>
<p>Between that and being Spider-man, Peter was fulfilled, and he was happy. Which meant that Tony was happy, too.</p>
<p>Tony reached for Peter’s stomach, but he didn’t slide his hand down along that firm abdomen, just yet. Instead he studied the boy that he was intricately connected to – and would be for the rest of his life. Peter smiled, feeling the contentment that his bonded was feeling, just then, and echoing it in his own soul.</p>
<p>“You look smug,” Peter observed. “Do I even want to know <em>why</em>?”</p>
<p>“Did you buy me a birthday present?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Even though I told you not to?”</p>
<p>“Guilty,” Peter admitted. “You can’t have a birthday without a present.”</p>
<p>“I love you.”</p>
<p>The boy smiled, and <em>his</em> fingers <em>did</em> slide along Tony’s belly, pulling his shirt out from his trousers so he could caress bare skin.</p>
<p>“I love you, too.”</p>
<p>“What if I told you I know what I want for my birthday?”</p>
<p>“I <em>asked</em> you…”</p>
<p>“I know. But I wanted it to be a surprise.”</p>
<p>Peter rolled his eyes, amused,</p>
<p>“You wanted to surprise yourself with a birthday present?”</p>
<p>Tony’s eyes were amused, but they were also loving and hopeful.</p>
<p>“I wanted to surprise <em>you</em>.” He corrected, using his free hand to reach into his pocket, rather than caress Peter’s belly.</p>
<p>“Me?” Peter echoed. “It isn’t my birthday.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t want to wait that long. I don’t want to wait, at all.”</p>
<p>As he’d been speaking, he fished a small velvet box from the pocket of his slacks, and handed it to Peter, since his hand was holding the boy in his lap, still, and he didn’t dare let go.</p>
<p>“Tony…”</p>
<p>Peter knew what a ring box looked like. He’d seen a million movies, after all.</p>
<p>“Open it, honey.”</p>
<p>An order, but in the tenderest tone that Peter could ever remember hearing from his bonded. He did as he was told, and sure enough, there was a ring. Simplistic and dark onyx, but do beautiful that it took Peter’s breath away.</p>
<p>“Wow.”</p>
<p>“Peter Benjamin Parker…” Tony whispered. “Will you marry me?”</p>
<p>The boy felt his eyes stinging with tears, but since Tony could only feel happiness along their bond, he simply smiled and brushed them away with his thumb. Peter sniffed, and wiped his forearm across his face.</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Absolutely. I don’t want there to be any doubt between us – and I know that marriage isn’t really a requirement for soul bonded couples, I want you to be married to me. And I want to be married to you. Tell me that you agree?”</p>
<p>Peter smiled.</p>
<p>“I do.”</p>
<p>THE END</p>
<p>If you care to join my fledgling patreon and make a donation: https://www.patreon.com/neuropsyche<br/>It's new, but you can request your own stories, there, if there's something you want to buy, or you can always make requests. No purchase necessary, of course - I'll always write</p>
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